Direct Urgent Care

Direct Urgent Care operated a network of urgent care centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, founded in 2013 with headquarters in Berkeley, California. The company was established by Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, an Emergency Medicine physician who sought to address systemic issues in healthcare delivery. His experiences as both a physician and a parent revealed inefficiencies such as excessive paperwork, long wait times, and a lack of price transparency, which often deterred people from seeking timely medical care.

The business was designed to provide a more accessible, convenient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional emergency rooms for non-life-threatening conditions. Direct Urgent Care served both pediatric and adult patients, offering treatments for a variety of conditions including common colds, flu, allergies, cuts, sprains, and strains. The clinics were equipped to provide digital x-rays, blood analysis, and urine testing services. The operational model allowed patients to book appointments online, by phone, or in person, aiming to reduce the hurdles associated with accessing immediate medical attention.

A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in October 2018, when Direct Urgent Care merged with and was acquired by Carbon Health, a San Francisco-based health-tech company. This merger was a strategic move to integrate Direct Urgent Care's clinical services with Carbon Health's technology platform, which offered enhanced virtual care options, a mobile app for patient-provider communication, and greater transparency of medical records. Following the acquisition, Dr. Djavaherian joined Carbon Health as a co-founder and Chief Clinical Innovation Officer, and the existing Direct Urgent Care clinics continued to operate under the new, technologically integrated model.

Keywords: urgent care, healthcare services, walk-in clinic, medical centers, immediate care, non-life-threatening conditions, outpatient services, pediatric care, adult care, digital x-rays, minor injuries, illness treatment, convenient care, affordable healthcare, healthcare accessibility, Carbon Health, Caesar Djavaherian, San Francisco Bay Area, Berkeley, clinics